The Harsh Light of Day
by Funky Chicken
Summary: Okay, here's the deal. No matter WHAT I write in this little box, my -shortened- summary is -still- gonna suck. So, you open this, read the longer summary at the top of the page, and THEN make your decision. If you don't like it, then feel free to move on
1. Crash

SUMMARY: Alternate Universe. Approximately season one or two; when Buffy is new in town. Xander and Willow are killed in a car accident, but Buffy survives. After recovering, she becomes agoraphobic (afraid of public places; doesn't leave her house). Giles gives the gracious offer to become her home tutor, and one day he brings William (*cough*Spike*cough*) along with him, the son of his sister-in-law (not sure what that is in terms of 'nephew' or 'second nephew', etc). Of course, sparks begin to hop, and then fly after a while between Buffy and William. In his own way, also, William attempts to help Buffy with her condition.

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Walking down one of Sunnydale's main streets, three teenagers disrupted the peaceful twilight scene with a sudden burst of roaring laughter. After hearing yet another joke cracked open by their brunette friend, one that he himself saw as quite funny, the trio found themselves doubling over, tears of joy trickling from the edge of their eyelids as they laughed whole-heartedly. 

Xander was known for his quick and witty remarks, but it was a rare occasion that he could invoke such a reaction from Willow _and_ Buffy. After being raised in Los Angeles with a group of girls who didn't have the lightest outlook on humour, the blonde had been slightly disabled from her ability to laugh. Slowly but steadily though, the goofy mind of Xander Harris and the support from his red-haired friend was bringing the innocent joy back to Buffy's life. 

Willow continued to cackle, holding onto Xander's shoulder for support, quite glad that he had decided to stop their walking motion for a moment. "Oh my God, Xander…" she said with utter amusement. "_That_ was a _joke_!" she smiled, approving of her best friend's comical scenario. 

"I don't think… I've ever laughed… so hard in my life" Buffy pushed out between giggles. Willow and Xander both glanced at her, happy to see that her smile was a genuine one. "Where the _Hell_ did you come up with something like that?" she said, clutching her chest as she caught her breath. 

Xander gave a modest shrug, smiling at the blonde-haired form of his newest love interest. "I dunno, these things just… pop up sometimes!" he said with a smile. "Actually, I heard it from my cousin Jared at my aunt's birthday party last week. Don't know how I've kept it in this long" 

"Well, be sure to thank your cousin the next time you see him" Buffy breathed. "I think I just got a six-pack from all that laughing" she said, referring to her now tired abdominal muscles. Catching a slight glance of appreciation from Xander, the teen couldn't help but smile. Although she had no intimate feelings of love for the brown-haired boy, Buffy had quickly developed a friendly type of love for his company and Willow's. Besides Giles, who really didn't count in some ways, they were her only true friends in the world. 

"So!" Willow's chipper voice broke a moment of silence, though the state had not been awkward. "Who's up for ice cream?" her excited smile couldn't have been wider as she looked between either of her friends. "My treat!" eyes glowing, she hoped her two companions would agree, assuming that her promise to handle the cost would help in their decision. 

Xander glanced at Buffy, who gave him a mock-serious stare before they both glanced back to Willow. "My colleague and I have discussed this matter of 'chilled cream'" the boy air-quoted, looking playfully to his blonde friend momentarily. "And we have graciously decided to accept your offer" his hands coming together like a proper businessman, Xander bowed his head accordingly as Willow squealed with delight. 

"Yay!" she exclaimed, immediately spinning on her heel in the direction of the nearest ice cream parlour. "Oo, but _no_ triple-decker chocolate explosion sundaes tonight" she said to Xander, suddenly sobering. "After that _amazing_ dinner, I don't think your tummy would be too happy with you, Xand" she said with a smile, remembering how he had reacted to the monstrous dessert on an _empty_ stomach. Definitely a memory she didn't intend on revisiting. 

Buffy simply laughed at the two, enjoying her night out on the town, even if she wasn't included in every prospect of conversation. The Slayer found it amusing to just listen in on her friends' conversations sometimes; those two had had some pretty interesting adventures in their many years of companionship. Willow had already skipped ahead of Xander and was walking down the street backward, a wide grin splayed over her childlike features. 

Although she had been in Sunnydale for months now, the Slayer finally felt as if she was starting to fit in with small-city life. Her number of friends wasn't astronomically impressive, but she found herself happier this way. Better to have a few good friends than be like Cordelia, a girl who had a thousand admirers who in truth don't think twice about her 'problems'. 

Too bad life's a bitch, no matter what the circumstance. 

Buffy didn't see it. Neither of her friends noticed it in time. Xander and Willow, lost in their own blissful delight, didn't detect their arrival at one of Sunnydale's busiest intersections. No one saw the headlights. 

Everything happened in an instant, a flash in time that took an eternity to pass by. For Buffy, there were only the simplest thoughts, point form notes taken in observation of what happened. All she could manage to yell out beforehand were a few mumbled screams, trying to get their attention. Willow and Xander, laughing at yet another joke, Buffy gladly following from behind. Intersection- Barnes avenue and Orchard street. Forgot to push the crosswalk button, didn't even notice it. Forgot to _stop_. A black pickup truck; going too fast; were its headlights even on? No one saw it coming; no one _heard_ it coming. Best friends walked right into its path; dead-on collision with the frail bodies of Xander and Willow, hit Buffy with the metal body's corner. 

Dark. Silence. Buffy was knocked unconscious for a few minutes, her cheek having hit a metal sign at the wrong angle, causing her to then be hammered against its concrete anchor. People finally looked up when they heard the piercing shrieks of rubber being dragged against the rough stretch of asphalt. If they thought _that_ sound was horrifying, they obviously didn't know how Buffy would have reacted if she _hadn't_ been pummelled by the truck as well.

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"Buffy?" the frantic, sobbing voice of her mother could be heard. "Buffy, can you hear me sweetie? It's mom. I'm here, honey. Can you hear me?" the older woman pleaded, not knowing how she could deal with a _third_ tragedy in one evening. Then again, Joyce thought of how lucky she was; at least _her_ only child had a _chance_ at living. Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg… and the Harris family… they weren't granted such a privilege. 

The Slayer's eyes began to flutter open, her mother seized into motionlessness, afraid that the smallest of movements would interrupt her daughter's attempts at regaining consciousness. Slowly but surely, the blonde girl's eyes were revealed to the hospital room's gentle lighting, eyes adjusting before taking in the sight of her worried mother. 

"Mom?" Buffy said, failing to lift her head, the motion causing her now dizzy skull to hit the pillow. "Mom…" she said again, worried this time as she panted slightly, the simplest of sounds requiring the use of every ounce of her energy. "W- Willow… Xander…" she said looking around only slightly, remembering that something terrible had happened, unable to conjure any details from her foggy memory just yet. 

"Shh, honey. Don't force yourself. You're still weak. According to the doctor you shouldn't even be awake yet" she said softly, wondering at her words why she had chosen to speak to her daughter. 

"Where are they?" Buffy continued, disregarding the screaming sensation in her head, as well as the fact that everything in sight seemed to be lined with marshmallows. "Mom…" she said insistently, giving her mother the best look of seriousness she could muster in her condition. In all truth, Buffy wasn't even sure where she was at the moment, or how she had come to be in bed, but her friends were priority number one on a very short list right now. 

Breathing heavily, knowing that her daughter wouldn't rest until she got her answer, Joyce attempted to remain strong, doing her best to push away her flooding tears. "There was a truck, honey" she began, wondering if it would stimulate any memory cells. "Willow and Xander walked right into its path" by now, realisation was beginning to crease Buffy's features, but she obviously needed a final answer. Taking her daughter's hand, the one not currently hooked up to numerous fluid lines, Joyce squeezed tightly, finally letting her tears rise to the surface. "They didn't make it…" 

Nothing could describe the sudden anguish her heart was pummelled with. It felt as if Buffy's heart had been burned, shattered, bruised, and imploded all in the same instant. So this was what it felt like to be living dead… to have one's mind, soul, and consciousness severed from the body altogether. Buffy was suddenly dead in every aspect of the word, yet her heart and lungs continued to function. 

Too drained to sob, too weak to scream, Buffy simply fell into herself, letting the pain and suffering wrack her body with gentle tremors. Maybe everything would be different when she woke up next time. 

"…Buffy?"

Maybe she wouldn't have to deal with the reality that her best friends were lost…

"Buffy, honey, wake up. Buffy!" the insistent voice continued. 

After all, this could all be just a bad dream.

"Buffy, wake up!" her mother said again, now beginning to shake the blonde.

"Mm?" the girl mumbled. "What? Huh?" the Slayer's groggy eyes opened to her sunlit bedroom, seeing a slightly annoyed face only briefly. Buffy yawned then, lifting her arms out of Joyce's grasp to rub her eyes. "What time is it?"

Joyce straightened, hands instantly moving to rest on her hips. "It's nearly 8:30. Mr. Giles is going to be here in half an hour. I can't believe you slept through your alarm again!" she said, lips pursed, head shaking. 

Through her mother's ranting, Buffy began to realise what dream she had just been having. Terrible memories, _true_ memories began washing over her, and the Slayer couldn't help it when tears formed at the rims of her eyes, visage immediately twisting with sorrow. 

Seeing the rapid change in her daughter's mannerism, Joyce softened immediately, having gone through this routine too many times to overlook such a condition. "Oh, Buffy…" she said softly, sitting down on the bed with her daughter. "Come here" she scooped Buffy into her arms, the Slayer instantly beginning to sob against her mother's shoulder. 

"I just can't believe it…" she wept. "I still can't believe they're gone… I don't understand _why_ they're gone," the once powerful huntress cried, welcoming the chance to expel her still wrenching emotion and guilt over the death of her friends. 

"I know honey" the curly-haired woman supplied, not knowing what else to say. "I know it still hurts… just remember I'm here whenever you need to talk" she said, patting and stroking Buffy's hair and back. 

Sniffing back a few more tears, knowing she would need to close the faucet now or face an entire day of crying, Buffy gave her mother a squeeze. "I know… Thanks mom" she said softly, pulling out of the embrace only slightly, heart still aching. "I think I'll go have a shower now. Giles won't want me to be late…" she sighed softly, not shying away from the kiss her mother planted on her forehead. 

"Okay honey… I'll go downstairs and make you some breakfast. How does a grilled cheese sandwich sound?" picking up her eyebrows with a suggestive smile, Joyce inadvertently made Buffy giggle slightly.

"Sounds good, mom… I'll be down in a few minutes…" the now ex-Slayer sighed yet again, using the motion to soothe her cracked soul. Crawling out of bed as her mother stood up, Buffy rubbed her eyes once before sliding toward the bathroom. 

With that, mother and daughter got to work surviving yet another day of life, another day wishing things were different. Buffy knew that a time would come in the next twenty-four hours when she'd wish she could go outside. Perched by the window during her lunch break, the Slayer would stare longingly out the sheet of glass, wishing she could feel what it was like to have fresh air cling to her skin rather than the re-circulated sludge spit out by the air conditioner. 

But that would never happen. At least, not for a very, very long time. 

Buffy was no longer the same girl she had been upon arriving in Sunnydale. Perhaps the correct term for her condition would be _agoraphobic_… at least, that's what the doctor had suggested. After the tragedy with Willow and Xander, and especially as a Slayer, Buffy had realised just how dangerous the outside world could be. Cars everywhere, disease and infection swirling about. Demons. Vampires. The whole world was a death trap. 

Instead of letting herself be victimized by the terrors of life, Buffy's subconscious had reconfigured everything in her mind. Out of nowhere, the once courageous girl became suddenly afraid of public places. School and shopping would give her panic attacks, the incidences becoming so severe that she finally gave up on the outside world altogether. For over a year now, she had been willingly confined to her home, not even stepping outside to get the mail. 

On rare occasions, Buffy would catch herself staring out the window with a little bit _too_ much yearning criss-crossed over her features. Sometimes she would come close to stepping outside her front door, stopped only by the fits of hyperventilation that wracked her body, causing each of her once powerful muscles to squeeze tighter than the killer coil of an anaconda. There was no escape. 

Sighing gently as she found herself on the cold white tiles of her bathroom, Buffy began to peel away her sweat-dampened pyjamas, looking forward to the refreshing shower that was only moments away. Stepping out of her bottoms, the Slayer refused to glance at the mirror. It would only show her the harsh truth of reality; exposed to her would not be the healthy bronze glow of a teenager, but the pale, ghostly hue caused by too many hours spent indoors. If it weren't for a heartbeat, Buffy thought, she could practically be a vampire. 

"Buffy honey!" her mother's voice rang, breaking the Slayer's few moments of silence. "That was Mr. Giles! He's running a bit late so if you need a few extra minutes in the shower, that's okay!" her mother called up the stairs, unaware that she had interrupted her daughter's dreary train of thought. 

"Okay mom! Thanks!" she called back, curious as to how she hadn't heard the phone ring. Thanking Giles for his unusual tardiness, Buffy finally found herself stepping into the shower. Clean-running water and soft-scented soap was no cure for her form of emotional devastation, but at least it was enough to help her through even the most futile of days.

(Author's Note: I would just like to say that I am in no way pretending to be an expert on agoraphobia. Nor do I think it is a pathetic symptom or anything of the sort. I saw it on the movie _Copycat_, so I am using the 'information/facts' from there and nowhere else. I also looked it up in a dictionary if that counts. So, just for the record, to anyone who is reading this who might have experienced agoraphobia, I mean absolutely no offence to you or anyone else.)


	2. Hit the Books

"Buffy! I know I said you had some more time but are you- oh!" Joyce's voice cut off abruptly. Under the impression that Buffy was taking more than the allotted time to get ready for Giles' arrival, she had decided to yell up the stairs. Turning the corner though, she had come face to face with the stealthy form of her daughter. "Hi honey… I didn't realise you were on your way down"

"It's okay" Buffy said almost silently, having developed a slightly depressive mood swing after her shower. It had been caused by the fact that there was no facial soap left in the shower rack, thus forcing Buffy to go through the cleaning process at the bathroom sink. Of course, she then had no choice but to examine her hideous features in the mirror, to accept the self-defined mistake her life had become. 

"Breakfast is ready if you want some" Joyce continued, either incredibly chipper, not noticing her daughter's mood, or attempting to overlook it in hopes that it would do something to help Buffy. Positively speaking though, Joyce had noticed the fact that Buffy had continued her now five-day streak of getting fully dressed, brushing her hair, and even applying a bit of makeup. 

Following her mother's lead, the long-ago Slayer walked into a kitchen filled to its absolute brim with freshly cooked and quite tantalizing scents. Bacon, grilled cheese with ketchup, and Buffy's favourite brand of herbal tea were spread out across the island like a work of art. Even though her mother had practically thrown the ingredients down, she had somehow arranged them in the most perfect way. How could any girl resist such a treat?

"Wow mom, how long did this take you?" her grilled cheese cooked to the textbook hue of gold she had demanded since childhood, Buffy couldn't tell how long her mother had spent on the delicacies. 

"Well it _used_ to take me hours. But you know, over the years I've gotten really good at it" she said with a nod. "It's a mom thing… Well, more of a clan thing… But I don't know what we're supposed to call ourselves to outsiders" narrowing her eyes slightly, using a brand of humour that only she possessed, Joyce curved her lips at an already grinning Buffy. 

"So what are you then, _Moms United_? _Power to the Single Working Mothers_?" as her daughter suggested names for such a clan, the older woman drew her fingers across her lips in a zipping motion. Sighing with resignation, the ex-Slayer finally plopped herself onto one of the stools, glancing to the food once more. "Alright, I won't ask anymore questions about your top-secret organization. But I must admit, the food looks _great_" 

Neither woman noticed as Buffy's previously dreary mood took on an all of a sudden happy tone. _Ah, food… the entity that shall always bind us_ the Slayer thought, realising a moment later that she had used both Buffy _and_ Giles speak in her mental speech. _Huh. Who knew they could ever mesh_? her mind continued, comforted this time by the lack of English librarian terms. 

"I hate to ruin this wonderful mother-daughter moment, but it's almost 9:15… Mr. Giles said that he'd be arriving around now," Joyce said lightly, wishing she didn't have to rush her daughter through such a wonderful meal. 

"Have no fear, my good mother. If there's a job that needs to be done, I'll see that it's completed" almost able to feel Giles getting nearer by the moment, Buffy opened the ketchup bottle, squirted some of the red substance on her plate, and finished her first three bites of the sandwich in a matter of two minutes. Not usually an impressive time for any human being, but when three of such wounds caused over half the sandwich to disappear, they could most definitely be called 'significant'. 

Within moments, the Slayer had polished off the gooey-cheezed sandwich, a wide smile of satisfaction spread over her lips. Ignoring growls from her overloaded intestines, the organs not used to eating even that much in one sitting, Buffy gave her flat stomach a loving pat. "I give it a 10.5 on the Buffy-food-o-meter" she said to a wide-eyed mother. 

Just as Joyce was on the brink of making a casually witty remark, or even commenting on her happiness at Buffy's choice to _eat_, the doorbell rang. Disappointed with yet another rupture in her personal bubble, Buffy glanced loathingly at the front door, wishing she had ripped out its annoying bell long ago. "Giles is here…" she stated obviously, eyeing but not touching a gleaming piece of bacon. 

"I know honey. You go on ahead and I'll clean up," the well-dressed woman said, grabbing a piece of bacon as her daughter walked off. 

In no mood for any human interaction that involved the learning of _anything_, Buffy couldn't help the sigh that streamed past her lips as she moved half-heartedly toward the front door. _Please God, if you haven't yet, slap some sort of spiritual experience on Giles. I do **not** want to learn today_ she thought helplessly, knowing Giles to be a stickler for all types of education. As of the present date, she had found many ways around his persistence, but the older man still had a few tricks hiding up his sleeve. 

Resentfully making a grab at her front door's brass knob, Buffy yanked the door open, face clearly displaying her lack of enthusiasm. Giles' head snapped up at the motion, vaguely hearing the knocker clacking against its base. "Oh, good morning Buffy" the librarian said with a smile, adjusting his glasses in the meantime. 

"Hey Giles" she sighed, eyes lazily lifted toward him. Standing beside the door, her body language was quite obviously welcoming him in, though the man remained static. "Giles, I know you're not a vampire, so what's with the standing outside? Aren't you as eager as I am to get started with the learning?" Buffy said flatly after a long moment of silence had passed by the duo. 

"Oh! Uh, yes" he said awkwardly. Neck cranking to the right, Giles began speaking to a seemingly invisible entity. "What are you doing now?" his voice rang with authority. "Didn't I tell you to stay put?" Giles continued, obviously aggravated with his poltergeist. 

"Giles, are you all right?" Buffy said with a frown, watching as her trusted friend spoke to no one in particular. 

Turning back to his one and only Slayer, Giles gave an assuring nod. "Yes, I'm fine Buffy" face changing immediately, he then glanced to the side again, head jerking to his left, apparently directing a still invisible being. "Um, Buffy, I hope you don't mind, and I'm terribly sorry, but my brother and his wife decided to take a last-minute flight to uh… Las Vegas" he said their destination with some unfamiliarity. "Thus leaving his wife's nephew, their house guest visiting from England, at home alone. Seeing as though he has a history of…"

Tired of holding her mildly amused smile plastered on her face, Buffy decided to cut in. "Giles!" she said quickly, catching his attention. "Do you want to get to the point any time soon or are you going to stand on my porch all morning?" the curve in her lips took on a humoured nature at this point. Still standing half behind her front door's massive body, the Slayer wondered if Giles' mysterious visitor was ever going to make an appearance. 

"Oh, yes. Buffy…" holding out his arm, Giles motioned the evidently male visitor forward. "I would like you to meet William, my… well, my house guest" not knowing what the boy was in relation to him, Giles decided to make it simple on everyone's soon-to-be overactive minds. 

Expecting this boy to fit nicely into England's stereotype of being able to punch out only half-desirable men, Buffy was shocked when the true article stepped into view. Swallowing back a string of words that would surely make absolutely no sense once actually spoken, the ex-Slayer remained silent, studying the boy during the pause. Due to the fact that she hadn't been this close to an even _moderately_ attractive specimen in what felt like an eternity, the blonde girl was going to make the best of this experience. 

Early morning light cascaded over his features, wrapping his all-black attire in a soft ultraviolet glow. Hair bleached blonde, a new craze amongst boys of all ages, the short mop was slicked back, slight waves having been created by the movements of his comb. Beautiful aquamarine orbs were nestled behind a set of hollow yet perfectly defined cheeks. A strong jaw complete with its own pair of sensuous lips took care of the lower regions of his face, where a perfectly sculpted brow, one side scarred by some anonymous threat from the boy's blurry past, topped off the wondrous visage. 

Perfect, almost ruby lips smiled then, admirable eyes seeming to brighten. "Hello… name's William, but you can call me Will if you'd rather. But then, I usually just go by" he was then knocked firmly in the ribs by Giles' untamed elbow. "Right. William" swinging a partially pointed thumb in his own general direction, the boy stepped in then, offering his hand to Buffy. 

Gathering her thoughts before uttering a single word, she held her hand out as well, introducing herself prior to contact. "Buffy, if you haven't already guessed. I usually just go by Buffy…" attempting humour, but not sure if she had been successful or not, her words were cut off then, leaving only an open palm reaching for his. 

Contact. _Oh…_ was all she could think, rational thought put aside for simple _feeling_. The inner region of his hands feeling like exceptionally dull sandpaper, she guessed he was a carpenter of some sort. Definitely liked working with his hands. Their flesh-to-flesh link alone was extremely fulfilling for the Slayer. Not only because he was a boy, and a handsome one at that, but also because association with humans _besides_ Giles and her mother felt so… _good_. During all of her time indoors, Buffy had begun to forget what it was like to meet new people, and now she had another reason to long for the outdoors. 

Using the motion of her hand to shake away such feelings of yearning, the part of her that was conscious then broke her contact with the boy, hoping she hadn't been holding his hand for a subnormal amount of time. "Well," she smiled, expelling a deep breath. "Enter all ye who seek knowledge… or leftover bacon" Buffy added, suddenly becoming aware of the waves of still tantalizing food slithering from the kitchen. 

Giles and an already distracted William politely refused her offer, having had a rather large, purely English breakfast only a half-hour ago. Both men made the obvious choice to step inside though, allowing Buffy to swiftly seal the main entrance to her home, shutting out any exterior dangers. Closing her eyes momentarily, regaining a sense of security she had unknowingly lost, Buffy gathered herself together before taking on the role of hostess. 

"Giles, you know the routine," she said simply, having received Giles as a visitor for ages now. "I don't know what you'll want to do though, William. There's not much _to_ do," she laughed. _Is he even staying? Maybe Giles has a few errands for him to run or something_… she thought to herself. After all, what kind of self-respecting Englishman could find joy in listening to a three-hour tutoring session? 

"Makes no difference to me" he shrugged, hands burying themselves in the waist of his jeans. "Got any good books around?" he said, eyebrows rising suggestively. 

"Uh, you mean the kind with many big words and thousands of sentences? The ones _not_ used for colouring in?" the ex-Slayer smiled, holding back a further comment about children's books. _Be friendly_, she commanded. _Friendly, not goofy_. 

William, a small smile cracking at the corer of his lips, nodded his slightly cocked head. A spark of humour flashed through his azure jewels before speech. "Yeah, those ones… 'bout this thick, written by stuffy Englishmen or overly disciplined Americans" he informed, holding up his index finger and thumb to define a novel's width. 

On their way to the Summers' home, William had been vaguely informed about the girl's condition. Giles, obviously protective of Buffy, had strictly ordered that William be on his best behaviour. Something about her not having many friends had been muttered during the conversation, followed by another firm command to treat the blonde girl with the utmost respect. 

William had obeyed orders as directed. Upon meeting the girl, his best smile had been put on, a friendly mood draped over his shoulders. When shaking Buffy's hand, his grip had been firm but polite, not wanting to crush her seemingly frail appendage. But he was already feeling an independent form of intrigue for this one called 'Buffy'. 

Any girl capable of gaining _Giles_' respect was surely deserving of it. Despite her rather successful attempts at wit, not once had she come across as an overly pampered, spoiled American girl. Polite and light-hearted, she was most definitely a rare specimen, one that struck at the heart of William's curiosity. Of course, the girl _definitely_ got some points for an externally attractive appearance. 

Buffy gave a laugh at William's description, combing un-coloured nails through locks of blonde hair as she looked around. "Well, can't say I'd recognize one even if it hit me over the head, but my mom might be able to help you. I _think_ she does a lot of that reading thing" emerald orbs glittering as she spoke, her was mood miles away from its lifeless beginning. After a brief pause, Buffy turned toward the kitchen in search of her absent mother. 

"Mom?" Buffy threw her voice, hoping her mother had not decided to venture downstairs. 

"Yes, honey?" came a swift answer, followed by the sound of footsteps. Joyce's pleasant form appeared seconds later, the older woman stopping dead in her tracks at the sight of William. "Oh, I… didn't realise we had company" she said with a caught-off-guard frown. 

"Mom, this is William" Buffy said, giving a professional introduction. "He's been staying with Giles" she put it simply, not knowing what else to add. 

"Well, it's nice to meet you, William. I'm Joyce, Buffy's mother" she extended a hand to the young adult. William took it, exchanging a salutation with her that was almost identical to the one he had experienced with the long-ago Slayer. 

"Likewise" he returned, replacing his fingers in the waist of his charcoal jeans after Joyce relinquished her hold on his hand. 

"Um, we were kind of wondering if you've got a book around" glancing at William, the blonde grinned slightly. "Preferably _not_ a love story, am I right?" 

Giving a short laugh, William simply shrugged. "Whatever you've got will be just fine with me. I can't leave the house on account of Giles' strict orders, so I guess reading is the only way to go" speaking with confidence, William completely ignored the librarian's rather discontented glare. 

Hearing William's comment about being trapped in the house, Buffy laughed inwardly. _Believe me, I know how you feel_ was all she thought, distantly noting to herself that they had at least one thing in common. 

"Well, I can't make any promises, but I'm sure I've got something around here" interrupting Buffy's thought-process, the always-outgoing Joyce motioned toward the stairs. "All of my books are upstairs though, so if you want to come take a look…" William simply nodded in response. Everyone in turn was left standing idle in the front entrance, having no sense of how quickly time was passing them by. 

"Okay then" Buffy sighed, shoving an axe through a rather awkward pause. Looking to Giles, and then to her mother, giving William only a quick glance, the ex-Slayer gave a most minute shrug. "Let's all hit the books" 


	3. Study Session

"Please, Giles! We've been going for two hours _straight_!" Buffy said, desperately attempting to justify her need for a break. "I mean, you must be hungry or thirsty or in desperate need of a bathroom break… And you must be getting sick of my inability to understand what you're teaching me" throwing out every plausible excuse she could think of, the Slayer could only hope the older man would crumble beneath her pressure. Then again, when he _really_ set his mind to it, Giles could be downright impossible to convince. 

Removing his glasses for their routine cleaning, Giles gave a deep sigh, glancing only momentarily at Buffy. "All right. Ten minutes, and then it's back to trigonometry" he said firmly, lunettes returning to the bridge of his nose. 

"Twenty" the ex-Slayer challenged, secretly pleased with his offering of ten minutes, but able to see no fault in attempting to squeeze a few extra moments from the librarian. 

"Ten" Giles repeated, hardly in the mood for negotiating. 

"Fifteen" Buffy bent her demand, wondering if it would affect Giles' opinion. 

"Ten" he commanded once more, beginning to feel annoyance creeping through his system. 

"Fifteen" Buffy grinned. "Or my brain will just have to turn off for the rest of the day…" resorting to bribery, the blonde girl straightened her face, showing the gentleman that she was quite serious. 

Glaring only slightly at the girl, knowing he would forgive her within moments, Giles took another deep breath. "Very well. Fifteen minutes. Not a _second_ longer" he affirmed, wishing he could point his glasses at her. Silently deciding that he _did_ need a washroom break, the librarian turned away from his widely grinning student, returning the smile before heading for the stairs. 

Seated on her living room couch, unable to deny its flawless comfort, the Slayer let herself simply sag into its ripples of stuffing. Eyes closed, Buffy ignored the overly vocal status of her stomach. Food could be enjoyed at any time of the day, but silence was a constantly fleeting virtue. Giles very rarely left the room during Buffy's brief recesses, forcing _her_ to perform the necessary movement. 

"I must say I'm impressed" peacefully closed eyes were hurled open as the unknown voice penetrated Buffy's range of hearing. Focusing on what her brain pinpointed as the source, her eyes came in contact with the stunning colour of William's. _Oh yeah…_ she gave an inward chuckle. _I didn't know it was possible to forget someone like William_. 

Cocking her eyebrow slightly, Buffy gave a confused yet obviously curious and humoured smile, almost matching the impressed curve of his lips. "Impressed with what? My ability to _not_ comprehend the need for trigonometry?" she smiled, absolutely dreading the arrival of her new math unit. 

Having propped himself against the door frame, fingers stuffed in the waist of his jeans once again, William chose such a time to stand straight, speaking as he strode into the room. "No…" he said with a chuckle, apparently searching for a chair to seat himself in. "I'm impressed with your ability to handle old Rupert… I've only met him twice, but he's definitely not the type to change his mind at the drop of a hat" flopping in a cushioned chair, the faux-blonde maintained his easy-going but humoured attitude, eyes fixed on the female form seated perhaps five feet away. 

Shy laughter was all Buffy could muster at the boy's semi-compliment, her cheeks fortunately _not_ deciding to flush with burgundy. "Well, I've had time to practise. The truth is, he only _seems_ impossible… with the right words, there's a way around everything" eyes partially narrowed above her smile as she spoke, Buffy acted as if the information was absolutely confidential. 

"I see" William said with a miniscule chuckle, a smirk crossing his lips as he sank back in the chair. "Well, either way, I doubt I'd be able to negotiate with old Ripper the way you can" tipping his head toward the stairs, the blonde teen laughed then. "The bloke doesn't trust me in the least. Had to get up at 6:00 this morning because we ran out of sodden milk, and Rupert didn't want me to stay at home alone, even _if_ I was asleep" the boy shook his head, face twisted in obvious displeasure. 

Emerald eyes sparkled as Buffy laughed within herself, not wanting to make it look as if she were mocking her first guest in months. Brushing a few golden strands of hair from her face, the girl sat forward attentively, a few chuckles bleeding through her lips in the meantime. "Poor William, first jet lag, and then the horrible shock of waking up to Giles' face in the wee hours of the morning" she smiled, causing some colour to finally reach the surface of her cheeks. 

William simply laughed then, pausing mid-sound as his eyes caught hers. "Oh, I meant to tell you earlier… when the old man isn't around, I prefer to be called Spike" having leaned forward in order to keep his voice down, the boy remained in his position, elbows resting on his knees. 

Buffy frowned as the nickname crossed his pair of sensuous lips, vaguely remembering his attempt to state a third title for himself. "Spike?" her voice was a little louder than it should have been, and the Slayer threw her comrade an apologetic look. "What kind of name is _that_?" when his face twisted into a slightly insulted stare, Buffy quickly recovered. "I mean, I've heard it once or twice, but I wouldn't expect it from an _English_ person" she laughed slightly, hoping her reasoning had eased some of the accidentally formed tension. 

Nodding as the girl explained her almost disgusted reaction, Spike idly rubbed his palms together. "It's no bother. See, I used to collect spikes from old railroad tracks with my brother and sister years back" he smiled, knowing it was an odd hobby. "My sister just started calling me 'Spike' one day, and the name stuck" he said with a slight shrug, momentarily remembering his boyhood adventures through the hills of England. "Of course, as I got older, the name took on a somewhat different meaning… most likely why Giles doesn't approve" the curve in his lips was almost wicked this time, making it obvious that he had instigated more than his share of rebellious acts. 

"Oh, so you're one of those English bad-asses we never hear about in sunny California?" Buffy inferred, continuing to speak before William could give the final tip in his truly proud nod. "It's funny… you don't really seem like the type to… well, to do whatever it is you've done"

Spike's eyes widened at this accusation, his voice firmly offended yet subtly playful. "Hey, you take that back, Missy! I'm the worst thing to happen to London since Murray Jennings" his finger was pointed at Buffy as he spoke, referring to an obviously notorious English troublemaker. 

Rolling her eyes with the same hint of playfulness, the ex-Slayer groaned. "Oh, come on… you were so polite at the front door…" realising that her defence was slightly weak, Buffy continued with a second incriminating point. "And what kind of rebel reads _books _in their spare time? I'm sure a lot of people are offended by _that_!" William had no doubt decided to read because it was his only choice of amusement, but Buffy threw it at him anyway, enjoying the friendly bickering. 

Instead of fighting back, William simply bore his eyes into the girl, enjoying her fairly developed sense of sarcasm. Very few girls in America had spoken to him so far, but Spike was sure that Buffy could put them all to shame. When mixed with such clever comebacks, her North American accent was most definitely tolerable. Hardly the snobby, slack-jawed sound he had expected from a Californian. 

Pulling in a deep breath, obviously readying himself for another string of speech, William narrowed his eyes inquisitively. "Would you like to go outside?" he asked, desire dripping from the corners of his mouth. 

Up to that point, Buffy had managed to charge herself with more life force, more happiness and joy than she had been capable of in what felt like eons. When the simple question floated past Spike's lips though, each and every morsel of Buffy's anti-depressive mood was suddenly demolished by metaphorical dynamite. Though her face dropped only slightly, every internal organ within the Slayer was blown to smithereens. "Outside?" she said slowly, almost choking on the word. Once challenging emerald eyes were now a pale green, shaken to their absolute core. 

"William!" Giles cut in, apparently having the most crucial timing of all the world's librarians. Each of the young adults swung their heads in the elder's direction, neither having heard him descend the stairs. Relief flooded the ex-Slayer's eyes, completely contrasting the annoyance flooding William's azure orbs.  

"What?" he said with insolence, only partially wondering why Giles sounded so irritated. 

"I think I may have left my trigonometry text book in the car. I'd like you to fetch it please" he said briskly, eyes momentarily straying to an overly relieved Buffy. 

"Get it yourself, you bloody…" William was cut short then, not even beginning to form the second half of his insult. 

"Finish that sentence and you'll be scrubbing my floors on your hands and knees every evening until your departure" using his classic form of calm threat, his temperament holding the silent danger of a hurricane's eye, Giles simply stared his opponent down, each man's jaw clenched tightly. 

"Right then" he said flatly, leather duster flooding about his claves as he stood. Picking up his eyebrows, William gave Buffy the softest of glances, a rather subtle smile rippling beneath his stone features. "Back in a minute" he nearly whispered, receiving a partially supportive smile in return. Spike then turned back to his commander, eyes veering away from Giles' cold stare. 

Refusing to perform a single movement in William's presence, the Watcher waited to speak until he heard the door shut behind his relative. "I'm terribly sorry about that, Buffy" his voice was gently frantic, footsteps light as he moved beside her. "I don't know why William would ask such an absurd question… I made it perfectly clear that he was not to leave the house" staring out the window, Giles was obviously not the ideal caregiver. 

"It's okay Giles…" the Slayer responded gently, slowly but steadily regaining her composure. "I'm okay too. He just caught me off guard" she added, knowing that her tutor was no doubt worried sick. Idly, she wondered how he would react to a _bad_ situation. 

"You're sure?" he said, the two particular words causing his English accent to stand out. 

"I'm sure" Buffy gave one of her most sincere smiles, not wanting to worry the only father figure in her life more than she had to. Sighing as a not-so-awkward pause wafted between her and the gentleman, Buffy's thoughts drifted back to the still-absent William, and a question rippled through her consciousness. "Giles…" she said, snagging his attention immediately. "How long is William going to be here?" eyes neutral, Buffy showed absolutely no sign of emotion. 

Frowning in thought, attempting to calculate an exact time period in his mind, the librarian finally made eye contact with her. "I-I'm not sure… I've had no luck in contacting his parents… I should imagine at least another week" forehead still wrinkled, Giles was obviously attempting to reassure himself that such an answer was correct. "Why do you ask?" he said upon snapping out of his mental daze. 

"Well…" she paused, not wanting Giles to think she liked the boy, although she could have sworn that a spark or two had flown between her and William. "It's just… if he's gonna be coming here every day, then there's a definite possibility that he'll ask me to go outside again…" pausing between her sections of reasoning, she made sure that Giles was with her before continuing. "So, I just mean… I'm okay if you tell him what happened… At least then you don't have to worry about me" Giles didn't look overly pleased with the idea, but he wasn't shooting her down either. 

"All right…" he said after a rather short pause. Buffy guessed that he wanted to resolve the matter before William's return. Sighing, the older man removed his glasses yet again, obviously never quite pleased with their state of cleanliness. "I'll tell him… but _only_ if need be" speaking with resolve, Giles made it clear that he would not begin discussing Buffy's condition with William the moment they climbed into the rather old, clunky machine otherwise known as Giles' car. 

Buffy had been about to affirm her deal with Giles when the front door opened somewhat violently, exposing a leather-clad and still frustrated youth. "Well, _that_ was certainly _wonderful_" he growled, eyes dancing with a new type of fire. "Thanks to our wonderful Rupert Giles, I will no doubt be spending the next few _hours_ attempting to pick dental gum off my duster" eyelids narrowed as he spoke, William exposed the lower region of his coat, revealing a bright blue, sticky patch of chewing gum. 

"Oh dear" Giles said with a surprising amount of sincerity. 

William glowered, eyes going wide. "Oh dear is right, mate! If I can't get this out…" silent rage boiled from the back of his throat, making it obvious that the duster's monetary value was not William's only concern. 

"Uh, William…" Buffy cut in, evicting Giles of his chance to say something potentially dangerous. "I… I think we might have some leather cleaner around here…" she suggested, bringing some light to her guest's face. Upon seeing his change in mood, Buffy further flushed out feelings of strain with the simple use of a smile, immediately calling for her mother's assistance. 

"Thanks, pet" William spoke up as they waited for Joyce's appearance. Peeling off his jacket, Buffy was hardly surprised to be suddenly facing a pair of perfectly sculpted arms, adding evidence to her prior assumption that he was a carpenter of some sort. 

"It's no big… and hey, look at the happy: you won't have to read my mom's book anymore" she laughed softly, wishing she had come up with something a little more intelligent to say. _Pet_…? Her mind questioned, running over the word appreciatively. _Oh, who am I kidding? Sure, he's nice enough… he's not **disgusted** with me, so chalk one up for the good guys. Maybe he's even a little interested in me_… she thought silently, giving herself a small douse of optimism before a depressing yet quite inevitable thought rumbled past her. _But of course, that'll all change once he finds out I'm a freak_…


	4. First Date

"_Please_, Giles!" lunging for the older man's hand, William attempted to force away Giles' death grip on the phone receiver. 

"William, I will _not_ have you making a mockery of Buffy. Now, I don't care what the circumstance is, you are _not_ telephoning her" Rupert affirmed, his gaze on the younger boy rather harsh and cold. "For one thing, you're nearly twenty years old. Buffy is barely eighteen… at this age, two years makes quite the difference, morally" relentless in his decision, Giles refused to budge. 

"Look, Rupert. I didn't say I plan on _proposing_ to her… All I want is to take her out" Spike defended himself, his level of frustration steadily increasing. "Besides, _you_ introduced me to the girl… I've spent the last four days practically living in her house… the least I can do is take her out" he added, adding a few points to his side of the scoreboard. 

Giles gave a deep sigh, shaking his head with slight reluctance. In all truth, he was somewhat concerned with the type of influence William would have on his Buffy. There was no telling what lies she would accept from any handsome boy. But the root of Giles' fear lay in Buffy's condition. William had not yet been brought to understand the fact that she was terrified at the mere idea of stepping through her front doorway, let alone spending a night out on the town. 

"William…" he said softly, calming dramatically in all aspects of his mannerism. "You can't take Buffy out… No matter how much she likes or dislikes you, there is _no _possible way that she'd join you on any sort of a date" he emphasized the last word, obviously not used to putting such 'American' terminology to work. Gazing honestly at his young houseguest, Rupert assumed that he would be confessing Buffy's secret within a few moments. 

"Why not? D'you think I plan on getting her into trouble?" William scoffed, his visage twisted with insult. "I wouldn't do that to Buffy and you know it, Giles. I don't get _anyone_ into a mess unless they _want_ it" he argued, voice becoming firm. For all the lies he had told in two decades of life, William was being incredibly truthful; very rarely did he cause disorder out of the company of his closest friends.

"I'm not worried about that, William… Well, I am a little concerned, but I'd trust you to take care of Buffy" Giles admitted, bringing some surprised satisfaction to the surface of William's face. "But there's something else you need to understand about Buffy," he said with the same tone of softness. 

Such words solicited a slightly dumbfounded look on Spike's part. "And what would that be?" he said with obvious scepticism. It was a little _too_ often that Giles' _exact_ sentence was used to describe a girl. _There's something you need to know about her_… wasn't that true for every woman? Wasn't that true for every human being?

Glancing at the couch perhaps ten feet away, Giles shook his head suggestively in its direction. "Sit down, Spike… this might take a few minutes" another odd position was conjured upon William's face with such verbal communication. Rupert had never _dared_ to call William 'Spike' before. 

_Must be serious if he's lettin' himself slip like that_… William thought as he strode to the seat's edge, plopping himself casually in its embrace. "So what's the big secret, Ripper?" William grinned slightly, returning Giles' favour of using a non-generic nickname. "You'd better hope this is good, too… Otherwise I'll be calling Buffy from a telephone booth whether you like it or not," he said with rebellion, meaning every word of his sentence. 

Remaining calm, not reacting to his relative's defiant comment, Giles followed the younger man to the seating area, one hand stuffed in his pocket. Seating himself in a rather uncomfortable rocking chair, stacks of books at his side, Rupert raised his line of sight, directly intercepting that of William's. Leaning forward now, eyes squinting with inquisitiveness, Giles prepared for the act of confessing Buffy's rather private condition. "William… have you ever heard the term 'agoraphobic'?" 

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Joyce finished fastening the second in her pair of earrings, dropping her arms immediately after the act. Trailing her eyes up and down her motherly figure, the woman was satisfied with what she saw. Definitely the appropriate, casual attire for a night out with one of her closest friends, yet still flaunting enough to perhaps catch the eye of a gentleman onlooker. 

Flashing a quick, confident smile to herself, Joyce turned away from the reflective pane. "Buffy!" she summoned, marching heartily from the confines of her bedroom and into the hallway, eyes fixed on the white door belonging to her daughter's chamber. "Buffy sweetie, are you almost ready?" the older woman called again, fluffing up her dirty-blonde curls for a third time. 

Before either woman could mutter a single word though, the Summers' doorbell rang. Joyce froze in mid-step, tossing a worried glance at her watch. "Buffy, that'll be Rachelle and Victoria… Are you just about finished in there?" arms crossed, the mother waited patiently for some sort of reply. 

"I'm coming mom!" the teenaged girl called though her door, swinging the timber object open a second later. 

"Oh Buffy…" was all Joyce could manage, astounded by the appearance of her daughter. Gleeful smile spread over her face, the older woman took a moment to admire Buffy's not-too-complicated but highly delectable choice of clothing. Burgundy jeans fit snugly around her exquisitely muscular legs, showing off the figure she had somehow preserved after a year spent inside. Blue cotton candy seemed to coat the upper portion of her body, sleeves ending between her elbow and wrist. Honey-hued hair was pulled back, bangs kept away from her face by a few silver, flowered barrettes. 

Able to muster enough strength for a slightly flushed smile, the Slayer looked away from her mother's proud gaze, no longer used to being admired in such a way. "Are the barrettes lame?" she asked with a slightly cocked eye, her fashion sense lost after an endless hiatus. 

"Oh, honey no" Joyce smiled encouragingly. "They look fine… Honestly" she said softly, also appreciating her daughter's elegant application of makeup. Perhaps this was a sign that Buffy was getting better…

Silence was wedged between the two women for a moment, Buffy using the time to double and triple check her clothing. In the end, it was Joyce who broke the suspension of wordlessness. "Um, we'd better get downstairs… Are you all set to go?" 

Nervousness suffocated Buffy's otherwise pleasant smile, cosmetically coloured lips attempting to remain steady. "Yeah… Let's get this over with," she answered airily, wishing it were already midnight. As the thought of spending the night with an older woman and her snobby teenager became more realistic, an urge to crawl into her bed and never emerge grew more assertive within the Slayer's impulses. 

Hours of anticipation seemed to crawl by as Buffy followed her mother downstairs, the image of her front door quickly becoming a menacing sight. Joyce took a casual hold on the doorknob, completely oblivious to her daughter's turmoil, and gave it a fatal twist. Slowly, the bulky wooden object was pulled aside, eventually revealing the image of…

"Spike?" swiftly inhaling a breath of undiluted surprise, Buffy's features immediately took on a confused look. She had to be dreaming; there was no way in Heaven or Hell that _William_ could be standing outside her front door _without_ Giles at his side. _Evil, evil brain!_ Buffy berated herself, still staring blankly at the leather-coated man before her. 

"Come in, William" Joyce said politely, attempting to mask the slightly giddy smile threatening to erupt across her visage. 

Respectfully nodding to the older woman, William slid into the front entrance with what Buffy would have called feline grace. Coated in his liquorice jacket, the material flowing about him like liquid rather than leather, he was the picture of masculine beauty. Azure orbs were lifted to meet Buffy's and she practically melted in place. Something about seeing him at night gave Spike a certain allure the Slayer just couldn't describe. 

"Hello love" a mildly amused and cocked smile curled over the blonde-haired man's lips then, eyes still locked with Buffy's. 

Either being remained silent for a moment, and Joyce inferred that both young adults were completely lost for words. Still attempting to bury her frivolous smile, the woman gathered herself before speaking. "Well, I think I'll be off… Rachelle and Victoria are probably at the restaurant by now" she said, glancing to her watch. "I'll be home around midnight… Bye honey" stepping forward, the younger woman planted a kiss on her daughter's temple before greeting both teens a good night, quickly heading out the front door. 

"Okay…" the blonde girl's voice sprouted outward after her mother's form disappeared. "Confused Buffy…" emerald eyes were then turned on her gentleman visitor, slightly narrowed above her faint smile. "What are you doing here? Did Giles suddenly decide that it would be fun to give me a pop quiz at night?" 

Eyes glowing with humour at her question, Spike gave a deep chuckle. "Sorry to disappoint, but old Rupert won't be joining us tonight… Although I wouldn't put it past him to try something like that" he said, lips curled into a grinning position. 

"Us? There's an 'us'? As in, just you and me?" the Slayer stumbled through her words, voice almost cracking with awkwardness. Buffy felt as if she had been handed a jigsaw puzzle, its design fit for the capabilities of a six-year old and yet deceiving in their simplicity. 

"That's right… Just you and me together till around midnight" his humoured smirk took on a more mischievous form then, a small step taken toward the blonde girl. "How's that sound for a first date?" he said quietly, azure eyes glinting. Although he had only just stepped through the door, William found himself fighting back the spontaneous urge to taste her lacquered lips. Yet another sign that William's subconscious self knew more about his feelings for this girl that his present state of mind did not. 

"Okay… Keep backing up…" Buffy said, voice still riddled with confusion. "Did you say 'date'? The kind with a movie, dinner, possibly even dancing?"

William nodded, beginning to wonder if the feelings he had been developing for the young woman flowed in only one direction. Despite his internal worry, the white-haired man kept a positive external appearance. 

Buffy's slightly enlightened features dropped when her companion shook his head vertically, her lips just barely muttering the word "Oh". Silence quickly formed a pressuring cloud above the blonde pair, until the Slayer punctured its momentary existence. "Well Spike, I… I appreciate the offer and everything but… I don't… I can't…" _God, is it even possible to describe it to him without making myself sound like a complete freak?_ Buffy thought, though the answer to her question was more than obvious. 

"I know" able to sense the young woman's angle, Spike quickly sliced through her explanation. "Giles told me… About your friends… About you" He hardly knew the girl on a personal level and already he found himsefHealready wearing a soft smile, his voice was equally delicate as the subject was tiptoed upon. "But it takes more than that to stop me when I get my mind set on something… or someone" keeping the mood as light as possible, William didn't want to appear overly dreary. "So I figured, if I can't bring you to the date, I'll bring the date to you" he smiled, holding up a blue plastic bag. 

Sappy movies, television, and past boyfriends had taught Buffy quite a bit on the subject of romance. It was a topic she easily recognized, one that had become so generic to her after a year or two of dating that it was almost boring after some time. But this… This was beyond romance and media's petty attempts at portraying it. This was unique; an act of true human emotion… And yet, it was all from a boy who had known her for less than a week. 

Shaking her head, the Slayer became vaguely aware of the parcel her visitor was holding up. "Are you serious?" 

"More than I've been in a few _years_, I can tell you that much…" William smiled, surveying his bag for a moment. "I've just got the basics though… a movie or two, snacks, and uh… music…" Spike named the last object flatly, not wanting to admit that he had in his possession a record full of slow-tempo music. "Does that suit you, love?"

Tingling after he used the English slang in substitution for her name, Buffy gave a nod, now adapting to the slightly alien situation. "A whole world of absolutely…" the blonde girl whispered, contentedly lost in William's oceanic eyes. 

Tonight, she had already decided, would be a night of regularity. An evening away from her agoraphobia, away from the loss of her friends and the fact that she hadn't even stepped outside in over a year. Amidst his badass appearance and contempt for authority, William seemed determined to bring out the better side of her; and so far, it was working. 

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"No… No no no I am _not_ answering that question!" Buffy's eyes were of a playfully furious nature as she defied William, voice rising slightly above its normal range. Hands clasped nervously in her lap, she was currently kneeling comfortably on her family's honey-brown couch, fully facing her blonde guest. 

"Oh, come on… Swear on my own grave I won't tell a soul" holding up his right hand, Spike attempted to gain the Slayer's trust. 

"Well, once again, the word 'no' comes to mind. What I did on my first _real_ date and who it was with is my business… my quite _embarrassing_ business to be exact. I demand a new question," Buffy challenged, not budging on her resolve. 

"Fine, fine…" Spike tossed one hand up in surrender before letting the appendage fall back to his thigh, landing with a smack. Cranium swivelling so that he could bathe once more in the soft shimmer of her green eyes, William once again felt that urge… the undying need to just have a taste of those ripe lips, to know the sensation of beautiful American girls on his mouth. Sucking in a hopefully confident breath, the blonde man fixed his eyes with Buffy's, suddenly becoming serious. "Will you let me kiss you?" the words slithered out ever so softly, William hardly able to believe that he had spoken them already, hardly able to believe that he had spoken them in the first place. 

Distantly, in a cloud of sudden shock, Buffy focused on the clock. _11:30_… For three and a half hours, she had been bathing in the company of a gorgeous English teenager. Two hundred and ten minutes had passed since her mother's departure, and with them her affection for the blonde man had steadily grown. _Kiss me? You **want** to kiss me? And you're asking for my permission? _"Is that even a question?" she spit the words out with a shy smile, having intended them to form as an internal thought. 

William frowned then, not knowing what to make of her response. "Well… I-" he took on a slightly frantic appearance, thinking that perhaps he had moved too quickly for her liking. "I mean, if you don't…" every ounce of courage that had pushed out his request had without a doubt dispersed completely, forcing the blonde man to a loss for words. 

"No, I do…" although William had not intended on continuing in the first place, Buffy cut in quickly, though the edges to her words were soft. "Honestly, I do… It's just… It's been a while for me" pushing away further comment on her high regard for his appearance and personality, the Slayer finished there, thinking that her answer had been evidence enough. 

Unfortunately, neither Buffy nor William knew quite where to go from their current standpoint. How often was it that someone _asked_ before kissing another person? Attempting, but failing miserably to keep his now awkward gaze fully averted from the beautiful blonde princess nestled kindly before him, Spike couldn't help but be captivated by her innocently young features. Golden porcelain is how he would best describe the exquisite visage she owned, every curve and slope crafted with genius precision. 

Spike hadn't realised it, but a duet of renegade digits had begun a slow, flowing ascent toward one of the admired cheeks. Slightly calloused fingers called some attention to themselves as they continued crawling upward, coming within range of either being's peripheral vision. Green and iced blue remained otherwise focused though, Buffy and William's line of slight flickering between each other's lips and eyes. 

Feather-light pressure was applied as Spike's index and middle fingers finally touched down upon the Slayer's skin, lightly caressing the satin surface at first contact. Buffy gasped. A thousand adjectives with which to describe such a sensation ran through her mind at a blinding speed, conscious senses able to pick out only a few. Electric, hundreds of tiny needles running softly over her skin- like free acupuncture; boiling to the point where her skin froze. An oxymoron here, a hyperbole there; it didn't matter… They all went toward giving an inferior description to a heavenly phenomenon. 

Courage and lust were injected into Spike's bloodstream in large doses after witnessing his date's mind-blown reaction. No girl- and there had been a few in his life –had ever responded with such amazement to his most timid forms of touch. Passion driven by one's attraction to his appearance or badass attitude was nothing new to him; but this? 

This was different. Girls never made it a habit to lose their breath from the simple contact made by his fingers. Their eyelids rarely fluttered shut while still at such a distance from him, the sheets of skin retracting seconds later to reveal a pair of orbs blazing with rekindled flames. Indeed, the reactions were new and still somewhat alien to him, but Spike knew one thing; he liked them. God, at the end of the night, he would be _craving_ them. 

Oh, those eyes of hers. Emerald scarves mysteriously tinted with a coating of hazel. Lips that were not pompously crafted yet held a certain amount of allure that made their crimson surfaces incredibly appetizing. Observing every ridge and slope on the Slayer's perfectly crafted face became almost too much for the Englishman, and he could no longer resist such tantalizing temptation. 

Dragging his now complete set of roughly textured digits across Buffy's cheek, Spike continued along his unmapped path until the miniature appendages found the back of his companion's neck, running lightly over the gooseflesh he found there. Using his planted hand as a lever, the blonde punk complied with whatever magnetic force was pulling him forward, his mouth quickly closing in upon that of a highly anticipating teenage girl. 

Their first contact was not an overly confident one. William's lips fell softly onto Buffy's, the satin ribbons taking a cautious taste of her liquorice twists. A sharp breath fluttered past the blonde girl's lips in response, followed quickly by a somewhat embarrassed laugh. "Sorry…" she whispered, voice barely audible, eyes shuddering as they rose to meet his.

"It's okay" Spike responded in an equally tender tone, subtle smile glinting with the same affectionate humour as his eyes. "Just remember, love, this isn't a test… I came here because I _wanted_ to be with _you_," the curve in his mouth didn't falter as his lips descended once more. 

A gentle whimper was all Buffy could manage this time. Her kisses were tentative at first, pressing unceremoniously against William's as if she were testing new boundaries. But the moment she felt his almost cool tongue flicker against the passage to her mouth, Buffy opened it with a pleased sigh. 

_Oh…God…_ Buffy vaguely heard herself think through the sudden waves of pleasure rolling down her spine. She instantly melted against Spike, arms locking around his neck as her fingers were buried in the short length of his platinum hair. Every nerve fibre in her body felt as if it were being paralysed yet shocked with activity in the same instant. How long had it been since a boy… man… had done this to her?

Spike groaned as his jaw flexed hungrily, tongue diving into Buffy's mouth to meet her own. The muscles intertwined briefly with each other before flying apart in order to explore their new environments, meeting every now and then to dance. William couldn't… didn't want to stop his hands as they began exploring different parts of the Slayer's body, one of them resting just above her hip as it cupped her side, the other still hungrily kneading the flesh of her neck's rear. 

"Spike…" Buffy finally moaned aloud, though her voice was barely above a whisper. Her mouth had been abandoned by Spike's as he rained kisses down her cheek, rounding her jaw and trailing along her exposed neck until he found the skin wrapped so tightly over her jugular vein. And almost animalistic groan was released from the blonde at that point, his mouth working against the surface with what could almost be identified as angry affection.

"Mm… Buffy…" William answered, his mouth still buried against the base of her neck as his hands worked wonders along her waist. But he came up for air then, gaze fixing with a slightly stunned female one. 

Were first kisses always so… intense? Buffy found herself wondering, the same thoughts rippling through William's mind. Both of them were trembling slightly, unable to believe that flames of infatuation could burn so high between two people who were still virtual acquaintances. Or rather, two people who _used_ to be acquaintances. 

Before either of them could think twice about the movements though, Buffy's lips were once again sealed airtight against William's, practically bruising the thin strips of flesh. Spike groaned, both hands clutching her hips and pulling the petite blonde into his lap, the small of her back resting against the couch's right side while her bottom and legs laid limply across his thighs. 

Buffy let out a small squeal at her sudden repositioning, arms still locked around her date's neck, though loosely. One muscled bicep now hugged the front of her waist firmly, Spike's hand splayed just below her left shoulder blade. The other was tucked underneath one of her elevated arms, his left hand also opened wide above his right, thumb playing with the collar on Buffy's shirt. 

Minutes trickled by, soft whimpers and satisfied moans accompanying the couple's efforts as they willingly explored a newborn yet tentative passion. For a second time in the evening, William's experienced lips broke purposefully away from Buffy's, this time moving along the right side of her jaw. Butterflies fluttered against the Slayer's neck in the form of kisses, travelling up her neck this time until the sensitive portions of her ear lobe were discovered. 

Buffy let out another moan, nail-polished digits twirling in William's falsely blond yet silken hair, departing only to fiddle with the nape of his neck. His grip tightened momentarily, and Buffy's cranium fell back. Rotating her head to the right, eyelids quivering shut in contentment once again, Spike followed as she did so, painting kisses wherever he could find room. "William…" she whispered softly, head now ducking to lean against his left shoulder, resting happily despite the momentary loss of his lips. 

"Goin' too fast for you, pet?" he asked cautiously, chest rumbling as his baritone voice was released. 

"What?" Buffy's head lifted in that moment, eyes instantly locking with his. "No…" she immediately insisted. "I admit we kind of… skipped a few of the boring details, but… It's not too fast" she assured him, reaching up to plant a kiss on his chin. "But…" Buffy added, despite the infectiously warm smile William offered and her incredibly furious hormones. "I don't think it'd be smart to go much further than this… I mean, it's only our first date… and we still haven't been forced to deal with the many complications that often go along with facing the real world…" many dreaded thoughts were allowed to go unspoken during Buffy's plea… How long was William going to be in Sunnydale? Would he still want her even if he couldn't take her anywhere _different_ for a date? 

"Right…" Spike answered shortly, not knowing what to make of the many emotions Buffy didn't know were playing across her face. "Not a problem, love, I'll just…"

His nervousness must have spoken volumes to the Slayer. Before he could come up with some detour of an activity, his rapidly flexing lips had been caught once again. The meeting was different though this time. Buffy's mouth brushed his with tenderness instead of fervour, affection instead of long-deprived need. It was soft, warm, _comforting_. Instead of dazzling themselves with the texture of his hair, Buffy found her fingers content with lightly stroking William's jaw, able to feel the muscles as they worked in slow yet satisfying time with her own. 

A contented sigh was all Spike could manage, though it spoke on the same level as any vocal sign of bliss, the breath spilling through his flared nostrils as he felt Buffy gradually concluding their romantic embrace. Emerald found cerulean as the pair once again let their eyes meet, lips no longer exploring each other. 

_I still want you…_ Buffy told her partner wordlessly. _I still want to be yours_…

William nodded in understanding, pressing a final kiss against her forehead. Leaning into the couch's cushioned back, he maintained his hold on Buffy, loosening it only so that she could relax as well. 

"Mm…" Buffy murmured, the right side of her face pillowed against one of Spike's accented pectorals. "Considering the fact that we've known each other for less than a week, I'd say this rates about a 10.9 on the First-Date-O-Meter," she said, a tired laugh laced within her exhalation. 

"Glad you had fun, pet… Definitely one of the better outing's I've had in a long while" William agreed, not noticing that his index finger was now tracing random and lethargic patterns down the Slayer's arm. 

"We should… do it again sometime" Buffy fought to remain conscious, the safety she felt in William's arms, combined with the strategic movements of his digits, was lulling her to sleep with every passing second. 

"Hmm…" William also battled against unconsciousness as he concurred with Buffy's suggestion, his own cheek resting atop the crown of her head. "Luv, it's gettin' to be pretty late…" stating what was already obvious by Buffy's half-conscious condition, the peroxide-blonde gave her a light shake. "I think I'd best be headin' home… Ol' Ripper'll have my head if he knows I kept you up past ten o'clock on a school evenin'," he sighed with a partially joking smile, able to hear one of the lectures he had already become accustomed to receiving from his temporary guardian. 

But judging from the simple fact that Buffy had now fully fallen asleep, it was too late for such a moral proposal. _Ah well…_ Spike thought carelessly, throwing his head back in equal exhaustion. At the moment he was too content, too tired, and incredibly unwilling to disturb the blonde beauty as she slept upon his lap. He'd been close to girls before; but the partnership had always been more physical than personal.

Now, for the first time since he could remember, Spike felt as if true emotion was part of his relationship rather than simple physical attention. It didn't matter if she was agoraphobic; it didn't matter if her eager answering to his lips had simply been impulsive, because either way she _had_ returned his affection. William wasn't _completely_ sure why just yet, but he'd already decided to hold Buffy close to his heart until _she_ suggested he do otherwise. 

(Author's Note: Believe me, I realise just how long it's been since my last update on ANY of my fictions. But, hopefully the wait has been worth it; I really tried to make this chapter turn out just right. That said, I'd really appreciate reviews, mainly because I'm fairly insecure when it comes to my "ability" (note the quotation marks, lol), to write kissage scenes or whatever. So, yeah, I'll try to update more often, hope you enjoyed this, and please feel free to send in reviews!)


	5. Yak, Yak, Yak

"Hello?" 

"Hello, Joyce… It's Giles."

"Oh, hi Mr. Giles!" Mrs. Summers answered cheerily, though her voice was hushed so as not to disturb her still sleeping daughter. "Did you want to talk to Buffy?" she asked, assuming he had a question or two about one of her assignments. 

"Actually I wanted to speak with you…" he responded, allowing the statement to hang but picking it up before Joyce could have a chance to inquire. "I was wondering how things went last night. With Buffy and William," preparing for her answer, Giles stuffed one hand into his pocket, palm closing firmly around his handkerchief. 

"Why… Did William not come home last night?" the older woman said, hints of concern coating her voice. 

"Oh, yes, yes he did," the librarian chuckled airily. "But I had already gone to bed, and he's still asleep. And, to be honest I'd much rather hear it from an adult," he said, taking a seat before any impending shock could knock him from his feet. 

"Well, Buffy's still asleep too, but from the looks of things they had a good time," Joyce smiled, unable to believe yet ecstatic that her daughter had found someone so free of judgement. "I got home at around 12:30 and they were sleeping together on the couch," she stated matter-of-factly. 

Giles choked despite the lack of food in his mouth, recovering only after a few hearty coughs. "What?" he exclaimed, clearing his throat. "They were…?" his panic evolved into dazed shock, and the librarian couldn't even muster enough strength to clean his glasses. 

"Oh, no! No, I didn't mean…" Joyce laughed despite the horrifically embarrassed expression she wore. "They had _fallen_ asleep is all, kind of in each other's arms," the blonde woman chose her words carefully this time, easily guessing that Mr. Giles didn't need to be pushed _closer_ to having a heart attack. 

"Dear Lord…" he pushed out, chest heaving. 

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Giles…" Joyce apologized, one hand coming to rest above her heart. "I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"It's quite all right, Joyce…" Rupert smiled, hoping to push his trauma away long enough to finish the conversation. "I'll be fine," he assured her, allowing for another short pause. "When Buffy gets up, let her know that William and I will be coming at around ten o'clock… I'm guessing she'll appreciate the extra sleep," he chuckled lightly. 

"All right… yes… I'll let her know," Joyce nodded into the receiver. "And again I really am sorry for scaring you."

"It's quite all right, Joyce… I'll see you at ten."

"Yes, I'll be sure to have Buffy ready."

Giles laughed lightly, catching a hint of remaining shame in her voice. "Good-bye, Joyce."

"Bye, Mr. Giles," Joyce said, nestling the receiver into its cradle as she glanced at a nearby clock. Green digital numbers stated that it was 8:45 a.m. _Time to wake up Sleeping Beauty_… she thought silently, immediately beginning plans on a tactful way in which to inquire about her daughter's date. After all, a mom had a right to know, didn't she?

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"Aren't you hungry, sweetie?" Joyce frowned, seeing that her daughter's bowl of cereal had now absorbed a near-fatal amount of milk. 

"Huh?" Buffy said dazedly, obviously being snapped from some daydream. 

"You're not going to eat your cereal?" the concerned mother repeated, gesturing to the untouched dish of food. 

"Oh, uh, no…" the Slayer pushed it back a few inches. "Not really hungry," she said with a hopefully convincing smile.

Joyce smiled in response, wordlessly removing the unwanted meal. She allowed the silence to go untouched for a moment before casually jumping in. "Something wrong?" she inquired softly, turning to glance briefly at her daughter before tending to the bowl of now soggy cereal. 

"Hm? Oh, no… I'm just a little tired from last night, that's all," Buffy smiled, and lied. It was necessary to do so, though… she _really_ didn't feel like making her inner thoughts and turmoil available to her mother's ears. 

"You sure?" Joyce insisted, turning again to make brief eye contact with the Slayer. 

"Yeah, it's nothing," Buffy waved her hand dismissively. "I'm gonna go get dressed… Call me when Giles gets here," she stated simply, immediately vacating the room so as not to give her mother any chance to pry further. 

Joyce was left slightly stunned, brow crinkling into a concerned frown. From where she had been standing the night before, it had appeared as if Buffy and William had enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent… So why was her daughter not leaping off the walls?

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Last night, everything had been okay. Last night, Buffy wasn't agoraphobic, and William wasn't just visiting North America until his parents could whisk him away to England. Last night, Buffy didn't want the world to end. 

"Where's an Apocalypse when you need one?" the Slayer grumbled beneath her breath, falling chest-down onto her welcoming mattress. With a deep sigh, she attempted to clear away the trillion thoughts that were buzzing through her mind, forcing them into a straight, orderly line. And things were temporarily quiet in her head. 

The blonde almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of her situation. Twelve hours ago, she would have done anything for William; she would have done anything to be _with_ William. But of course, now that he wasn't around, Pessimistic Buffy had a chance to force logic into the equation. _You'll never have a normal relationship… He'll probably be back in England by the end of the month…_ those thoughts, along with an army of other gloomy notions were constantly appearing behind the Slayer's eyes, casting her farther down the hole she'd already dug herself into. 

She wanted to prove herself wrong. She _really_ did. William was unlike any boy… Any _man_ she'd ever met. The fact that he'd even _think_ about dating her was wonderful enough. But to actually go through with it? To actually bring the date to Buffy when her petrified mind wouldn't allow her to go to it? Devotion, romance, kindness… _All_ of those qualities had met their match in the face of an act that had been relatively simple from Spike's point of view. 

William appeared to be everything Buffy had ever dreamed of in a man. He was romantic, affectionate, and passionate. His intelligence was obvious but not exploited, his sense of humour and humility hidden beneath a rugged exterior. He was perfect in every way; exactly what the Slayer yearned for in a boyfriend, and he _wanted_ to take on that role. 

So why was she making herself miserable about this?

_Because it's impossible!_ Buffy yelled inwardly, answering a question she hadn't realised she'd asked in the first place.

_It's not impossible_, her soul retorted. _Where there's a will, there's a way_… it insisted somewhat stereotypically. _You want him, and he wants you… How exactly is that an 'impossible situation'? _

Buffy mechanically dressed herself, alter egos battling throughout the simplistic task. Eventually she was clothed in garments that were fit to be seen by the public, and she hushed her inner turmoil long enough to survey the outfit. Dark blue jeans and a soft yellow tank top; true, it wasn't the most impressive display of her fashion sense, but it didn't downright _suck_, either, she decided. As for her hair, the Slayer simply ran a comb through her golden locks, leaving them to dangle freely about her shoulders.

"And the award for least effort on clothing, hair, _and_ make-up goes to…"

The doorbell rang, cutting off any chance Buffy had to calmly finish her sentence. Head snapping toward her bedroom door, the Slayer gave a final, panicked glance to the mirror and silently assured herself that William had seen her in worse condition. Smoothing back any stray locks of honey, she timidly left the confines of her bedroom, attempting to hold an air of confidence about her as she ventured down the hallway and staircase. 

Just as she'd expected, her tutor was standing there, accompanied by his imposed houseguest. At the sight of William, Buffy didn't know whether she should feel giddy or frightened. Of course, the slightly secretive yet pleased smile he gave her made any concrete decision all the more difficult. 

"Good morning, Buffy," Giles said with a little nod, though for some reason he sounded somewhat… awkward. 

"Hey, Giles," she returned the smile, hands diving into her back pockets. Nervously, she glanced at William, emerald eyes only remaining fixed upon his form for a brief second before dancing away once again. 

It didn't take long for Joyce to notice the lack of exchange between her daughter and bleached blonde guest, so she decided she would intervene. "Mr. Giles, I just put a pot of tea on the stove. I was wondering if, while it's boiling, we could have a quick talk about Buffy's grades," she said politely, making her request sound as casual as possible. 

"What?" he snapped to attention, vision having been fixed against the floor. "Oh, yes. Yes it's been quite some time since I last spoke with you, hasn't it?" he gave a slightly sheepish smile. 

"Well," Joyce responded brightly. "I guess that leaves you with a few moments to get your books out then, doesn't it, Buffy?" she began leading Giles into the kitchen. "Feel free to make yourself at home, William," she added before disappearing around the corner. 

Buffy could do nothing but stare in amazement after her mother. Somehow, underneath all of her unfaltering responsibility and loyalty to her values, Joyce was able to come up with the most devious plans when she wanted to. Once again, the Slayer found herself at a crossroad… mentally thank her mother a thousand times over, or begin practising ways in which to berate and have revenge upon her?

William remained silent, nervous glances exchanged between he and the blonde girl for several moments. Just being in her presence made his epidermis hum, and he was currently fighting the urge to wrap her in a tender kiss, which would hopefully drive away whatever thoughts were causing her anomalous behaviour. After what seemed an eternity though, he could take no more. "Buffy…?" he said tentatively, attracting a full, direct stare from her. "Something on your mind, love?" one eyebrow was raised as he asked the question, slight concern written on his face. 

"Hm? Oh, no. I just didn't get much sleep last night," Buffy said with a convincing smile. Of course, a split second after speaking, she realised who she was talking to, and immediately regretted the use of her default excuse for strange behaviour. "I… had a few nightmares. Kept waking up," she added forcefully, hoping the slightly disturbed look on her face was believable. 

"Knew I should've slept over," he said with a cheeky grin, eyes sparkling with humour that begged to be set free. Buffy barely cracked a smile at his comment. Okay, so he wasn't the _best_ comedian in the world… but the Buffy he knew would have at least had _something_ to say about that last remark.

"All right," he sighed in slight exasperation. "Something's got your knickers in a twist… Seeing as how I'm not psychic or anything of the sort, I'm just gonna have to get it out of you myself," his facial expression opposed the serious nature to his words, eyes soft as they looked upon her. "Buffy… What's wrong?" 

"Stop it," she answered simply, one corner of her lips threatening to lift in amusement. 

William simply cocked an eyebrow, his gaze upon her going somewhat blank in confusion. 

"You're ruining the mood," she continued, practically pouting. "I'm supposed to be miserable right now, and you're making it very difficult to stay that way" her arms were crossed, eyebrows raised, lips pursed in mock anger. 

"So… You're not angry with _me_ then, are you?" Spike responded slowly, attempting to gather what he could out of her statement. 

"Well, no… Not exactly," the Slayer said hesitantly. "It's just…" she paused, wanting her next words to come out perfectly. "Look. I know we've only had _one_ date so far, so technically this doesn't qualify as a serious relationship_ yet_…" William opened his mouth to say something, but Buffy quickly cut in. "I just really think we need to talk, you know? Before we go much further" she finished, what remained of her breath held in anticipation of William's reaction. 

Wind flurried past his lips as the bleached blonde gave a sigh of relief. "That's all?" he said with a wide smile. "God, you practically had me with my tail between my legs… D'you _always_ look like the world's about to end when something's on your mind, pet?" he chuckled. "Because next time, if you could, I'd like some warning," this time, the humour behind his eyes was allowed to escape, already shimmering orbs becoming cerulean crystal. 

"Yeah, that's pretty much me in a nutshell. Never have the brains to just…" she trailed off. During her few seconds of speech, Spike had closed the gap between them, only inches of smouldering air now separating her from the leather-clad figure.  "Spike?" she managed to squeak, obviously aware of his intentions. 

"Shh," he said with a slightly bemused smile. "This one's a freebie… No false expectations on my part included," William whispered, his index finger reaching up to brush her chin. Buffy shivered beneath his touch, and he could stand to remain idle no longer. With the same cautious care that he'd used the night before, Spike lowered his slightly agape lips to Buffy's equally parted ones, landing upon hers in an open-mouthed kiss that simply lingered. 

Eventually though Buffy pulled away, taking a moment to simply lose herself in the man's eyes. Almost involuntarily, her arms curled around his neck, pulling him down so that she could taste him once more. Eyelids dancing shut, she sighed against his lips when they found her this time, a soft whimper betraying her concrete resolution when William's tongue brushed against her unsuspecting entrance. What was it about him that seemed to melt her resolve with a virtually effortless attempt?

Both Spike and Buffy took the initiative then, deepening their kiss automatically. Tongues began to dance, tangling with each other only tentatively, obviously still adjusting to new environments. William's hand was already cupping Buffy's cheek, fingers weaved chaotically through her blonde locks, and his other appendage wrapped itself possessively around her waist. Urgent and pleased moans were made audible every now and then, most often when either human came up for a breath of air. 

"So, with the way Buffy is progressing, she will most definitely be able to graduate… _Dear Lord_," Giles stopped dead in his tracks, almost dropping the mug of tea he was holding. Joyce reacted in virtually the same way, though no verbal representation of her surprise was muttered. 

Buffy and Spike's necks practically snapped as they turned to face the older pair, faces sprawled into evident expressions of surprised embarrassment. William's arms still hugged Buffy's waist, and hers were still wrapped around his neck, fingers playing with the short blonde locks there. They broke apart though, suddenly feeling like attractions at some twisted zoo. 

"Uh, hey guys," Buffy's eyes flickered between her mother and a still stunned Giles, voice quivering behind its casual construction. Hands again shoved in her back pockets, the Slayer dared a quick glance to William, finding that he was equally mortified. 

After a few further moments of silence, Giles seemed to snap from his apparent trance, blinking rapidly a few times as he gave a nervous smile. "Yes, well," he checked his watch. "It's ten thirty. Perhaps we should begin lessons now, Buffy," the former librarian said, politely brushing past either young adult. 

Joyce also chose to exit the scene as well, though she flashed Buffy and her companion a mischievous glance before casually ascending the stairs. 

Buffy sighed, turning back to William once her mother was out of sight. They stared at each other for a moment, as if speaking telepathically. Spike was first to breach the silence though, breaking into a small chuckle only seconds before the Slayer followed suit. "Poor Giles," Buffy said, head shaking as she stilled her brief giggles. 

"The man looked as if he was on the verge of a heart attack," William agreed, voice tactfully hushed as he shared in the joke. 

"Either that or wishing for spontaneous blindness," Buffy grinned, still amused yet past her phase of laughing now. Not surprisingly, her gaze was then caught by William's piercing blue one, completely destroying her original intent to simply exchange an amused glance with him. For a moment she was tempted to wrap herself in his arms again, feeling as if she could quickly become addicted to the sense of absolute security that he gave her. But then rational thought kicked in, and Buffy pointedly blinked to escape his hypnotizing eyes. "I… Should probably get in there" she looked somewhat bashfully in Giles' direction. 

"Right," William said, suddenly calm. "Ripper's already suffered enough trauma for one day," he smiled, quickly remembering their previous topic of conversation. "Suppose we'll chat later then?" 

"Yeah, assuming of course that Giles doesn't decide to _drown_ me in homework," she replied warily, again tossing a brief glance toward the living room. "He tends to do that right before the weekends… Just to make sure I don't get some sort of freakish school withdrawal" Buffy scoffed, rolling her eyes at the absurd notion. 

"That sounds just about like something Giles'd do," William chuckled in response, and again the Slayer's heart went to work fluttering within her rib cage. There was just something about the hollow yet chiselled curves of his cheeks, and the way his open mouth arched in almost shy amusement that made her absolutely giddy. 

Transfixed by his effortless charm, Buffy found that she could unearth no words that would fit properly into their present scene, and was almost glad when she heard Giles beckon her from the next room. "I'm coming, Giles!" she called, tossing a quick glance in his direction before fixing her eyes upon the leather-clad figure before her once more. "Duty calls," she mumbled reluctantly, hands still burrowed in her back pockets. 

"Quite inconveniently, might I add," Spike smirked, unable to mask his desire for more than a few minutes at a time. "But you best be off… I've held you captive long enough… Any longer and I'm sure Giles'll be compelled to take his revenge on you in the form of textbooks," he said in a perfect attempt to support her impending departure. "And I'm pretty sure we've already established how unfortunate that would be."

"Don't I know it," Buffy groaned, eyes rolling for the umpteenth time. Sighing, she became locked in William's gaze for a final bout of contact with the windows to his soul. "Well, I'll… see you later," she said with a timid smile, the most absurd part about such a statement being that it came out as more of a question than a speaking of fact. 

William nodded. "I'm not going anywhere, love" he said softly, the curve in his lips equally as sensitive. 

It seemed easy for him to say, as if the expression simply rolled off of his tongue, but somewhere within his baritone voice was a quality of absolute sincerity. For that reason, Spike's simple words put Buffy into a state of inexplicable comfort that she seemed to feel only when in the midst of his presence. Wordlessly, the Slayer bid a final good-bye to him before turning around, forcing herself not to look back for fear that she'd be stuck in place once again. As she entered the living room, Giles' eyes on her face and William's on her back, that single phrase continued to echo through her ears, causing her soul to vibrate in ecstasy. "_I'm not going anywhere…"_


	6. Mister FixIt

"Giles, this is absolutely pointless. I don't understand. I'm never _going_ to understand, so can't you just give me a sixty percent and we'll call it a day?" Buffy begged, her head spinning with numbers and theories to the point where it almost hurt. 

"Buffy you're perfectly capable of getting a grasp on this concept. All you have to do is focus," Giles insisted, speaking softly despite his exasperation. 

"I am! I'm focus-girl, honest! My brain just doesn't like to cooperate with this kind of thing, that's all," she pouted, sitting back in the couch. "It's not like I'm ever going to _use_ chemistry anyway… Would it really hurt to lie about my grade just this one time? I swear I'll never _ever_ go into a science-related profession." Giles looked back at her, and as soon as his eyes made contact with hers, Buffy quickly insisted "_Ever_." 

From his seat in the tiny room connecting the kitchen to the family room, Spike couldn't help but smile as he listened in on the conversation. It seemed he had another thing in common with the blonde girl; they both despised any sort of schoolwork, and were willing to lie if it meant they wouldn't have to deal with it any longer. What had him so spellbound though was just how cute she could make complaining sound. For a girl who apparently hadn't had much contact with the outside world in nearly a year, she had quite the personable attitude about her. 

Maybe Giles was a better teacher than Spike originally thought. 

"Look, I'm sorry Buffy, but I couldn't in good conscience give you a grade that you didn't earn. Especially when you could easily obtain a grade higher than sixty percent if you just set your mind to it," the librarian insisted, eyes locked with hers in an attempt to force her into submission. 

Buffy held his gaze for a moment before she finally collapsed, falling back into the warm embrace of her couch. "This sucks," she sighed. "I can't believe you're actually gonna make me learn this stuff. I mean, come on. _When_ do you think I'll ever be in a situation where someone happens to come up to me and say 'excuse me, do you know what an electron orbital is?'"

Spike snickered quietly in his spot, attempting to keep his eyes from wandering off their studious spot on his page. Honestly though, he should have been taking notes. He had no doubt that this girl could convince Mr. Saviour-of-the-World Giles to steal money from a charity if she really tried. If only he had her skills when it came to begging the old man for something. 

"Well, that may very well never happen to you, Buffy. But you _are_ going to have to learn it if you want to get into university or college someday. Many of them require at least one science course in your transcript," Rupert pointed out, his eyebrows lifted in that you-know-I'm-right sort of way. 

The blonde girl visually deflated even further with that comment, her eyes going dark, body seeming to almost sag into itself. "Yeah…" she said quietly, beginning to toy with her hands. "As if I could ever go there in the first place." She took a quick glance around her living room, and made brief eye contact with her tutor before each of her emerald orbs began swelling with water. 

Spike looked up from his page then, as he could feel the unusually prolonged silence beginning to suffocate him. Giles was standing over what looked to be a somewhat devastated Buffy, and the blonde punk frowned, wondering exactly what had gone wrong. The last few bits of their conversation had been somewhat muffled to his usually capable hearing, and he could only begin to guess what sort of turn it had taken. 

"Oh," Giles said softly, looking down at his charge with grieving fondness. "Buffy, I'm so sorry" he said, rounding the table and sitting himself down beside her. "I didn't mean to…" the Watcher trailed off, and rested what he hoped to be a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Buffy wiped at a tear that was threatening to fall down her cheek, but attempted to do so as discreetly as possible. "It's okay," she sighed. "It's just, sometimes I wonder…" she looked at her Watcher, around her house, and then back to him. "I mean, it's been a year Giles. A whole _year_, and I still get dizzy answering the door sometimes. I just can't help wondering… what if I never _do_ get out of here? Is my life really worth living? Am I even supposed to be alive in the first place? Maybe I was supposed to have died along with Xander and Willow," she paused then to wipe away at more tears, becoming embarrassed now by her show of emotion. 

"Oh, Buffy, don't talk like that" Giles insisted gently, wrapping his arm fully around his Slayer and pulling her into a fatherly embrace. "What happened to Xander and Willow wasn't your fault, and you can't let yourself think that it was your duty as their friend to go along with them. What you've got now might not be the most exciting thing in the world, but at least you're alive."

"I know," Buffy said, burrowing herself into the warm embrace of the only real father figure she'd known for a long time. "I know Giles. I just… I miss them so much," she sniffled, attempting not to get any of her almost freely falling tears on the tutor's shirt. 

"Of course you do, Buffy. They were both very wonderful people…" he said tenderly, quirking a smile as he thought of something perhaps more cheerful to say. "I even forgive Xander for not liking books as much as any sane person should."

The Slayer gave a dry laugh at that, sniffling once again and lifting her head up. "I love you Giles… I really do," she said meaningfully, emerald eyes shimmering slightly as they gazed into his, a far cry from the standoffish way they'd met not long ago. "You're the best Watcher a Slayer could ever hope for," she grinned.

"Yes, well, I try," the Englishman grinned back, pulling his surrogate daughter in for a quick hug. 

Still seating in his post between the two rooms, Spike could feel his heart breaking for the girl as she exchanged words with his distant relative. He thought he'd had a fairly good handle on understanding her situation, thought that the forever wounded look in her eyes might have been a sign that she was just a little more sensitive than the next person. But to hear her anguish actually articulated into words… it was almost more than he could handle. 

Oh, yeah, he really was the Big Bad though. Really. But he was also human, and not willing to hear the girl who had practically stolen his heart be in so much pain on such a beautiful day. 

Thinking quick, the peroxide fiend quickly came up with a diversion. Standing up, he affected the most panicked, frustrated expression he could muster. "Giles!" he half bellowed, waiting two moments before storming into the living room. 

Buffy and her Watcher tore apart when the young adult made his appearance, hoping to make it look as if they had been up to nothing more than studying. "What…" Giles cleared his throat. "What is it, William?" he asked venomously. 

Spike pretended not to notice that Rupert and the blonde girl were sitting oddly close to each other, and also gave a brief and sour response to his being called 'William'. "Well, _Rupert_, I've come across a slight problem. Left all my cigarettes in the car, and now I'm out of the ones I had stashed in my pockets," he practically growled, rounding his words with that beautiful English accent. 

"And, what exactly does that have to do with me?" Giles asked, eyes narrowed as he attempted to comprehend the young man's logic. 

"Well, let's see. You locked the car, which means I would need the keys to be able to get in. And seeing as how you've made your car off-limits to my dangerous hands- even though I wouldn't be caught dead driving it –you're gonna have to get 'em for me."

Giles let out an extremely exasperated breath of air. "Very well, Spike. Buffy," he turned to his student. "I'll be back in a few minutes. It'll no doubt take me some searching through the junk-pile that is his side of the car before I can find anything."

Buffy smiled wearily at Giles, daring a quick glance in William's direction as the older librarian dashed out, fishing for his car keys in his tweed pocket. 

When the front door closed, signalling their isolation from any other human contact for at least a few minutes, Buffy and Spike were caught in a soundless vacuum, both shooting hesitant looks in each other's directions, both clueless as to what to say. 

Spike was the first to step over the threshold, allowing a full thirty seconds of the almost uneasy silence to pass before taking the initiative. He sat down lightly next to the teenaged girl, forearms instantly going to rest on his knees as he hunched over, eyes staring straight ahead. "I uh…" the blonde outcast started quietly, voice just barely above a whisper. "I couldn't help overhearing some of that," he said gently, not wanting to ram the difficult topic head-on, but refusing to just dance around it at the same time. "You know, what you and the old man were talking about".

Buffy looked up as Spike turned his soft, caring blue orbs toward her, but her gaze instantly found a new position, boring into the decorative candle-holder hidden beneath mounds of paper and text books on the coffee table. "Oh," she said timidly, the sound barely escaping her lips. 

"Are you…Is there anything you wanna… I mean, do you need to talk about…" he trailed off, not knowing where to draw the line between being polite and being pushy. He was terrified that he'd go too far. 

"No," Buffy interjected, locking gazes with him for a moment, seeing that slight pang of loss, of pain, when she denied him any sort of conversation. "I mean," she went back to looking around the room. "It's just hard… you know… to explain it to people. I just, don't really like talking about it" she explained, brushing her hair behind her ear. 

"It's all right," Spike assured her, sitting back on the couch, cranium twisting so he could look at her. "I mean… If I were you I probably wouldn't want to talk about it much either," he took a deep, silent breath, hands unclasping and running up and down his thighs. 

_God_ he smelled so good. Buffy was desperately trying to ignore the gently spicy scent twisting around her nasal passages. But for some reason it seemed… comforting. It wafted from the chest and limbs of a teenage boy who, although somewhat on the scrawny side, had already made a promise that he wasn't going anywhere. Maybe it was because she didn't know him that well, or because he wasn't the type to press for information, but Spike just seemed so safe to her.

Holding her breath as she did so, the Slayer slowly began to lean toward him. She caught sight of his chest, saw it rising and falling smoothly beneath the black texture of his t-shirt. Although her lungs currently weren't functioning, Buffy still managed to once again take in a drink of his scent, and she almost fell right into him. 

Finally though, her head touched down upon its sought-after perch. Gold fused with ebony as her feather-light cranium found sanctuary on one sculpted pectoral muscle. She closed her eyes a moment, savouring what it felt like to have his smell and comforting heat diffuse into her body all at once. 

Spike almost jumped as he felt her body make contact with his. His head spun in her direction, and looked down to see her pillowed softly against him, entire body curled into itself as if she were a helpless child. 

"Do you mind?" Buffy asked. 

Giles' distant relative barely heard her as she spoke, but he managed to stutter out an answer. "Huh? Oh, oh no of course not," he laughed almost nervously, the quick exhalation making Buffy smile as her head bobbed up and down with his chest. 

With the same apprehensiveness that Buffy displayed, in a movement that was used to emphasize just how much he _didn't_ mind, Spike's arm began drifting to a position around her shoulders. He touched her gently as he did so, as if he was afraid she would break should he be even a fraction too forceful. His arm settled into its nook around her small frame as if it had belonged there all along; a certain sense of rightness filled Spike's mind, a ton of weight being lifted off his chest. 

Buffy looked up at him. Her hazel-emerald eyes met his and although sad, they seemed to say 'thank you' with a certain amount of glee. When Spike smiled back, the Slayer curled further into his warm embrace, his arm tightening around her as she did so.

"I've got you, love," he whispered. "You don't have to tell me anything… I'm here for you just the same." A fragment of their earlier conversation came back to him then, and he smiled. "And in the friendly way, too. So this needn't intrude on that little discussion we've gotta have later on about where exactly we stand on the relationship front."

Buffy grinned at that, head burrowing further into his chest. "You know what, Spike? I'm really starting to think that you're kind of great… That is, if you look past the bad hair and all," she said maliciously, steeling herself up for the wrath of his wounded ego. 

Spike's eyes widened in insult as he looked down at her, further annoyed by the fact that she kept her gaze hidden from him. "Now, Buffy… I know that you're currently in a state of mental unease, so me 'n the hair'll let that one go this time. We'll just pretend that you didn't utter the words that instantly bring a good throttling upon anyone who utters them, and move on, okay?"

The Slayer's lips remained posed in their evilly grinning state. "Gee, thanks for sparing me, valiant William."

"Well, any brave knight would do it for a beautiful girl. Consider it my duty to mankind."

_Beautiful_… 

The word resonated in Buffy's consciousness a few times. He really thought she was beautiful…? He… _really_ thought she was beautiful. Not knowing what to say to that, the girl just fell silent, enjoying the way it felt to be wrapped in someone's embrace and feeling as if she was protected from anything and everything. 

Within only a minute of falling quiet though, Buffy's mind began drifting back to her deceased friends, despite the fact that she was trying desperately to focus only upon the boy who had her in his arms. Eventually though, Willow's screams and Xander's last few gasps of laughter filtered into her consciousness, and she almost whimpered when the familiar stab of pain clenched around her heart. 

"I've seen some pretty scary shit in my life," Buffy said, hardly aware that she was speaking in the first place, her lips apparently moving of their own volition. "And I mean _unreal_ scary… Like Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees scary, only those two are kind of like Mrs. Doubtfire in comparison. But it was the kind of stuff that I could stand up to, stuff that I could handle. I could look it straight in the eye and laugh as if I really _was_ watching _Mrs. Doubtfire_."

Spike nodded even though Buffy couldn't see him, his hand gently stroking her upper arm now. He wasn't sure exactly what she was saying, but the tenseness in her body told him it wasn't something to be taken lightly. 

"But _this_…" Buffy took a deep breath, eyes cold with fright as she stared straight into Spike's unmoving knee. "This was something different, the type of thing that shook me to the bones before breaking me in half. It was something human, something less powerful than me but something that I couldn't fight or win against," her jaw clenched, steeling up to clearly speak her next few words. "And it took away my two best friends, leaving me helpless to do anything about it."

"Xander and Willow?" Spike asked gently, head cocked. 

Buffy nodded against his chest, glad when the slightly older boy's arm tightened around her. "When I moved here from LA, they were the only people in Sunnydale High who accepted me with open arms. Except Giles, of course," she smiled, briefly thinking of the day when she'd met the tweed-loving librarian. "I didn't have to prove to them that I was someone important or special. They were two of the best people I'd ever met; the type of people who you'd feel totally safe handing your life over to," she paused, needing a moment to re-focus her emotions so as to not start blubbering like a baby right then and there. 

"About a year ago, we were hanging out, just like we always did. Willow was all hyper about a trip to the ice cream store. Xander was making his jokes as usual. I was walking along, throwing the odd comment in there. It was one of those perfect nights, and I was finally starting to feel like I belonged in Sunnydale."

Buffy's hand tightened around a clump of duster that she'd grabbed at some point, eyes burning in desperate need to shed some of the tears that were beginning to build up. She held them back though, needing to get this out, needing to tell her story to just one more person, hoping against hope that it might help to ease her turmoil that much more. 

Giles had walked in the door only a few seconds before, catching the tail end of her most recent paragraph. He pondered for a moment about whether he should break in on the two teens, but the thought was quickly dismissed. Buffy was obviously opening up to Spike for a reason, and the last thing she needed was for him to go intruding on her friendship with someone who seemed to be adding a small glimmer of light to her life. Shutting the door as soundlessly as he possibly could, Giles paused only to savour his Slayer's happiness for one more moment, before creeping off into the kitchen.

"We were about to cross a street when Xander cracked another hilarious joke. Willow was practically doubled over, leaning on him for support she was laughing so hard," Buffy's eyes pinched tight as the first of her tears finally flowed over the brims of her eyelids, cascading down her cheeks to land in the small crevice between her arm and Spike's chest. "We didn't even see the huge pickup truck coming. It hit them head on, doing about 40 miles an hour according to witness reports… They didn't have a chance," she choked out, quietly sobbing into the English boy's chest by now. 

His face was torn with empathetic agony for the girl, arms clasping her in what was practically a deathly grip by now. "Love, shh, it's all right," he soothed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head and smoothing back her hair. "God, I had no idea," he said gently, hugging her tight again. "I can't imagine living through that."

"The truck only just got me," she continued on, part of her mind conscious of and appreciating Spike's affectionate comfort, the other half knowing though that she had to trudge on through the pain, to finish off what she'd started. "I was okay… no broken bones or anything. But after I got out of the hospital, I got so scared of everything around me. I realised that there was just so much in the world that was dangerous. I'd lost two of the only people I cared about. I stopped going to school at first; Giles was ready to be my home tutor in a heartbeat. After a while though, I just stopped going outside altogether. I was afraid to step out the door, afraid to get sick or shot or stabbed or smushed by another car," she whimpered, clinging tightly to Spike by now. "And so we have the basis of my life for the past year and a bit… Glamorous, isn't it?"  Buffy sniffled and wiped away a few tears, a massive weight being lifted from her shoulders as she reached the end of her tale. 

"Buffy, don't talk like that," Spike said gently, continuing to smooth back her golden locks. "It's not pathetic that you're afraid. Hell, if I lost my two best friends the way you did, I'd probably wet my knickers for a week!" 

"Eww," the Slayer wrinkled her nose at the thought, looking up at him as if to say 'did you really have to mention that?' 

"'S true, love! Really, you can't go getting down on yourself for bein' this way. You've had to deal with something that's far worse than the troubles that some people face in their entire lives… The way I see it, you're brave just for bein' alive," the slightly older man said honestly, hardly able to believe that such a tiny girl could withstand the force of so much pain. 

Buffy smiled. "Thanks," she said, gaze still fixed upon his well-chiselled face. "Glad to know that I'm brave for not peeing my pants" she laughed wryly.

Spike rolled his eyes with a grin. "I didn't mean it like _that_."

"Well, it's how I saw it. Sorry if your Britishness is so cryptic to my soiled American mind."

"Oi! What's wrong with my bein' British?" Spike asked, wide-eyed and mock offended. 

"Oh, nothing!" Buffy said as if she were actually hiding something. Her lips quirked as she attempted not to laugh. 

Spike stared the blond girl down for a brief moment, a solid yet mischievously grinning expression hanging from his cheekbones. He held her gaze for five drawn-out seconds before finally moving in for the kill. One hand grabbed her around the shoulders while the other struck her sides, tickling the Slayer for all she was worth. 

"EE! _Spike!_" Buffy squealed, hands desperately searching for his. "Spike!" she laughed, trying with all her strength to squirm out of his embrace. "Spike, Spike stop! Spike! Aah!" she burst into another fit of laughter, his tickling fingers rendering her motionless. 

"What was it you were saying about my history there, Buff?" Spike asked, stilling his hands just long enough for her to respond. 

Now, she _could_ have been smart about this. She _could_ have admitted that she hadn't _actually_ been thinking anything particularly offensive about his country of origin. But, then again, she was having a lot of fun being tickled. After all, it was a harmless excuse to have him keep touching her. Steeling herself up for another attack, Buffy met her captor eye to eye. "Well, if you want my opinion… They're nothing but a bunch of crooked-toothed, tea-drinking, crumpet-eating, completely_ boring_ people with terrible musical abilities."

Spike was horrified. He was frozen for a moment, looking as if his entire ancestry, everything that made up his origin, had been chewed to shreds. Which, actually, it had. "That's it," he growled through clenched teeth. "It's the guillotine for you, girl," he said, raising a clawed hand. "DaaAaaAAHHHH!" he screamed out the battle cry before descending upon the helpless maiden ruthlessly. 

"Aahh!" Buffy screamed again, her fits of laughter beginning anew. She just hoped there was no such thing as death by tickling. 

¤---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---¤

Giles jumped at the sound of his Slayer's first high-pitched squeal, causing a few droplets of the tea he'd been drinking to spill over the side of his cup and onto the saucer. "What in the world…?" he looked toward the kitchen door with wild curiosity. Practically throwing his cup and saucer onto the counter, he had been about to jump up and head for the living room when the sensation of Joyce's gentle hand on his shoulder halted him. 

"Rupert, there's nothing to worry about. Sit down," she said softly, her smile equally tender. 

"Nothing to worry about? By God, Joyce, if William has insulted or hurt her in some way, he's going to have to answer for it," the Watcher's eyes were wild with protective fire, his entire body tensed and ready for action. 

"Just…" she tugged on his shoulder, guiding him to sit back down, which he did after a brief hesitation. "Listen," she instructed, nodding toward the kitchen door again. 

Giddy, girlish laughter drifted into the room, capturing Giles' ears and driving immediately toward his heart. Buffy was laughing. _Buffy_… was _laughing_. And not the polite, restrained laughter he'd heard her use so often. Not the airy attempt at a genuine form that she just hadn't possessed for so long now. No, what the older man heard was the sincere, thoughtless, carefree laughter of a normal girl. A girl who _hadn't _been chosen as the sole protector of every human being on the planet. A girl who hadn't lost her friends, and nearly gotten killed herself, in a tragic car accident just over a year ago. A girl who hadn't spent the past thirteen months trapped in her own home. 

"You hear it?" Joyce asked, filled with as much disbelief as the man across from her. 

"I do… But I hardly recognize it," Giles laughed gently, dipping his head to his chest. "Joyce, do you realise how long it's been since she's--" he cut off mid-sentence, having been in the motion of turning to look at her, but stopping dead when he caught sight of her. 

The kitchen lighting was misleading, but it was angled against her face just enough that he could see tears shimmering as they slid along the gentle slopes of her cheeks. He didn't really know what to say to that; obviously she _did_ know how long it had been since Buffy had last laughed like that. 

"You know," she said matter-of-factly, making her best attempt to ignore the salty liquid streaming down her face. "I hardly know him, but I'm really starting to think that William is the best thing that's happened to Buffy in a long, long time" she paused, savouring the sound of her daughter's laughter once more. "So I hope you know that whether you like it or not, from this point on I'm going to be playing the part of the 'excited that her daughter has found such an amazing boyfriend'-mother," she said to Giles seriously, though her mouth was tipped upward just enough to convey that she had no intention of being a drill sergeant about it. 

Giles pondered on the notion for a moment. Deep down in his heart, when he truly considered the type of person that William was, the former Watcher had to admit that he did see a lot of good beneath the boy's rough-n-tumble exterior. Of course, he'd never voice such opinions aloud, but what he _could_ do was voice his approval of Joyce's standpoint. "I think I can handle that," Giles said with a smile, taking a long sip from his tea. 

Both adults sat in silence from that point on, just enjoying the simple beauty to be found in Buffy's laughter. They enjoyed musing that their golden-haired princess, once broken and almost totally alone, had finally found the mechanic who could set the wheels of her life in motion once more. 


End file.
